In the summertime, nothing delights us in the Midwest more than a ripe tomato. Bake them up in a tasty pie, and you have a classic dish not many can resist.
“My mother used to make these often, and it’s just a common dish in the Midwest,” says Roger Lynch, whose My, My, My … Tomato Pie recipe was chosen for the Southwestern Indiana Master Gardener Association’s “Harvest: 30 Years of Growing and Cooking” cookbook.
Roger and his wife Denise have been members of SWIMGA since 2013. The couple cares for their own gardens at home, but also chairs the Three Sisters Garden at Angel Mounds Historic Site.
This recipe was developed by Roger based on one he found in Home and Garden in 2016. He bakes the pie using chocolate cherry tomatoes and herbs harvested from his gardens. And while his mother used bacon in her tomato pies, Roger uses capers, giving the dish a different flavor.
“Chocolate cherry tomatoes are heirlooms — they are sweeter. It matches well with the capers,” he says.
My, My, My … Tomato Pie
Ingredients:
14.1-ounce package refrigerated pie crust (unbaked)
4 ounces crumbled feta cheese
2/3 cup Parmesan cheese, finely grated or shredded
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 egg, separated
1 tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped
4 cups cherry or assorted tiny tomatoes
1-2 tablespoons capers, drained
1/4 teaspoon black pepper and kosher salt
2 teaspoons water
Directions: Preheat oven to 375 F. Let pie crusts soften at room temperature. In a medium bowl, stir together feta, 2 tablespoons of Parmesan, mayonnaise, egg yolk, oregano, basil, and black pepper. Unroll 1 pastry into 9-inch pie plate, pressing lightly. Crimp edge. Sprinkle crust with remaining Parmesan.
Spoon feta mixture into piecrust. Top with tomatoes and capers. Sprinkle with kosher salt. Place remaining pastry on filling. Make slits in top. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg white and water — brush over top pastry.
Cover edge of pie with foil. Bake 35 minutes. Remove foil and bake 45 more minutes or until crust is golden brown.
Cool 2 hours on a wire rack.
Makes 8-10 servings.